The DA in the Free State is calling a motion to debate measures to address the failures in provincial government, financial accountability and service delivery in Parliament.
According to Dr Igor Scheurkogel, DA Member of Parliament and the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP) spokesperson on the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), the Free States’ municipalities are in free fall.
“Rivers have become open sewers, waste piles up in our streets, and taps run dry. During the NCOP 2025 Provincial Week, the auditor-general (AG) confirmed that not one municipality in the province has a clean audit. This is not because the Constitution has failed us, it is because ANC municipalities lack the political will and have no consequences for officials who fail to perform,” Scheurkogel said.
Mangaung’s December equitable share allocation may be withheld due to severe and persistent breaches of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
“We have submitted a motion to debate in the NCOP to hold the Free State Provincial Government accountable for the collapse of municipalities. The province has failed to enforce consequence management, fill key posts, support municipalities, or address the widespread service delivery and financial failures affecting every community in the Free State.”
Scheurkogel said the Constitution and municipal legislation obliged provincial governments to support and strengthen municipal capacity, monitor performance, and design capacity-building programmes to deliver better services. Instead of using these tools, the Free State Department of Cooperative Governance is not utilising the legislative tools in the Municipal Systems Act and the Municipal Finance Management Act to address key issues.
All Free State municipalities, without exception, have failed to fill key vacant posts within six months, have not updated their indigent registers, and have an average revenue collection rate of 38%. The province also fails to fulfil its duty to compile Municipal Systems Act Section 47 performance reports, which provide a clear assessment of local government and guide provincial support.
“Municipalities submit poor-quality financial statements, ignore irregular expenditure and defy court orders. Debts to water boards and Eskom have ballooned. Mafube, Matjhabeng and Kopanong face criminal cases for polluting rivers, and the National Treasury has withheld transfers because Free State municipalities owe R24,8 billion to water boards.
“Wastewater plants have collapsed, and untreated sewage now poisons rivers and dams.
“This is not just a service delivery failure − it is a health crisis,” said Scheurkogel.
He has stated that the DA will push for the following through local structures to fix municipal finances:
- Implement correct billing systems, update indigent registers, and cut wasteful and fruitless expenditures.
- Forge firm partnerships with civil society to drive collaborative service delivery and community-led development.
- Reduce excessive wage bills and restructure municipal organograms to professionalise the administration and ensure efficiency.
- Implement and enforce service-delivery-oriented bylaws that promote local economic growth, youth empowerment, and clean governance.
- Ensure that all municipal officials are qualified, capable, and fit for purpose, with merit-based appointments that put residents first.
Residents of the Free State have a chance to change this through the 2026 Local Government Elections. Elections allow communities to replace corrupt and incompetent councils with leadership that honours the Constitution.
Read about old and dilapidated infrastructure leading to flooding and road erosion during the heavy spring rain.
Scheurkogel said Free State Cogta’s so-called support has not developed the monitoring systems and capacity-building programmes required by the law.
“Weak internal controls and the absence of credible performance reporting have created a culture of impunity.”
